Perfect
by tectrices
Summary: James/Lily.  They're in love and James is finally going to take that last big step.  But everything has to be perfect.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter - this is fan-made, for fun not profit.

Author's Note: I'm actually quite proud of how this came out.

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James ran a hand through his hair and blew out a nervous puff of air. He'd done it so many times already the hair on the back of his head stuck up in little messy spikes. He wanted it to be perfect, everything had to be _perfect_. He took another nervous breath. "She's going to say no."

"Jim, calm down," Sirius said. He sat lazily on the sofa as James paced. Absently he lit and unlit the candles laid with painstaking care on the coffee table. "For whatever daft reason, Lily loves you. She's going to say yes."

"Is she? I don't..." He stopped and turned to Remus, who was lounging primly in their oversized chair. "Moony, what do you think?"

"I think if you were any more nervous you wouldn't even be able to ask her."

Sirius nodded. "In which case her answer is a moot point."

James' lip wibbled, his eyes wide as he stared at his friends.

Remus rolled his eyes and Sirius coughed to hide a snicker. Together, they said, "She'll say yes."

"Are you sure, though?" James started pacing again, his hand plastered to the back of his head, fingers raking nervously through his hair. "She's so – "

"Perfect?" Sirius quipped.

Remus smirked and took up the thread. They'd heard it all from James a thousand times before. "Brilliant?"

"Gorgeous?"

"The most – "

"Yes!" James said, throwing his arms up in the air wildly. "She's –she's _that_! All of that!" He made some flailing, inarticulate movements, his mouth opening and closing though he seemed unable to speak. "And she's supposed to choose _me_? I'm… I mean, I'm a great bloke, but Lily could do better. She deserves…" He stopped suddenly, deflating, his shoulders drooping as he stared pleadingly at Sirius.

"Prongs." Sirius pressed his lips together hard and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What he means," Remus said, hiding a smile, "is that you've got no reason to be insecure. Lily loves you."

"So she claims!" James said stubbornly, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"So she _claims_?" Sirius repeated incredulously. "Do you really know of anyone who would put up with as much as she does? D'you think she would stay with you if she didn't love?"

James looked down, scratching his head. "I don't… It's not…"

"Prongs?" Both Sirius and Remus leveled him with stern glances.

He shuffled his foot awkwardly, looking down as the tension left his shoulders. "She…_probably_ does."

"You're just nervous," Remus told him, getting slowly to his feet. "And you'll be fine, James. She's going to say yes."

Sirius raised a brow. "I suppose we're going then? As much as I'd love to stay and watch the, ahh…" He gave James a cheeky grin. "Fireworks."

"You're leaving?" James asked piteously.

"Yes."

"But what if I need – "

"Goodbye, James."

And with a loud crack, Sirius and Remus were gone.

James sighed again, wringing his hands as he looked around. The flat he shared with Lily was small – miniscule, really – so at the very least it hadn't taken long to tidy up. It looked nice, it really did; and he had gotten candles, and flowers, and had scented the room with that soft lavender smell Lily liked so much. It _was_ perfect. He'd been planning it for so long, and all that mattered now, all that he was waiting for…

Was Lily to say yes.

He waited anxiously for another half an hour before finally she floo'ed in.

"Rubbish day," she said, throwing her things down onto the big chair beside the fireplace. "I hope yours was…" She paused suddenly as she took in the surroundings. "James… What's all this?"

"It's not… It's for you!" he said nervously, flashing her a quick grin.

"Oh, for _me_," Lily said, nodding slowly. "Glad to know it's not for your _other_ girlfriend."

She stood, her weight on one leg and her hand on her hip. She looked pleasantly bemused, her long, wavy red hair in loose tendrils around her pale, round face. She looked wonderful, even with mussed clothes, slumped shoulders and circles under her big, bright green eyes.

James smiled. "Lily… I love you."

"I know!" She laughed happily. "I love you, too."

"Then…" He felt his heart beat nervously in his chest, but he knew – looking at her, he knew – that he had nothing to worry about. His smile grew even wider. "I have something I want to ask you."

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Thanks for reading! Please review - it would be greatly appreciated!


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